Pickle de Gallo is the pickle-based version of pico, swapping the tomatoes for the sassiness of dill pickle and the crisp freshness of cucumber. Whether you make it as a dip or as a condiment: just make it! You’ll be glad you did.
Do you ever fall hard for a product at the grocery store, only to be let down when you can no longer find it? That’s what has happened for me with Grillo’s Pickles Mild Pickle de Gallo. So naturally, I came up with my own riff on this fresh pickle salsa. My Pickle de Gallo recipe has the briny, pickled flavor of the original, along with an extra punch of fresh flavor and crunch from the addition of fresh cucumbers!
Why Pickle Salsa Is a Must-Try
If you raised an eyebrow at the idea of pickle-based salsa, please stick with me for a moment. This isn’t salsa in a proper Tex-Mex sense, but if you’re a pickle lover (and I definitely am, as my Dill Pickle Margarita, Fried Pickles, Pickle Pizza and ALL my pickles recipes can attest!), you’ll surely appreciate this recipe.
- A surprising multitasker. I’ve been delighted by all the different ways we’ve found to use this pickle de gallo recipe. We serve it as a dip, relish, and condiment. I used to offer both tortilla chips and thick-cut potato chips for dipping, but potato chips have been extremely favored, so it’s the only way I serve it now. It’s also awesome with, and on, grilled burgers, hot dogs, and brats.
- Easy to make. Once you’ve diced all the veggies and pickles, it’s just a matter of stirring it all together and letting it marinate. The pickle brine makes quick pickles of the fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, and onion, so their raw flavor mellows, but they retain a crisp texture since the brine isn’t hot, as it is for making traditional pickles.
- BIG flavor. With pickle brine, garlic, and onion, you know this pickle de gallo is going to pack in some bold flavor! That said, it’s not overly pickle-y either — the brininess is balanced by the sweet red pepper and onion, along with the fresh cucumber.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make pickle de gallo at home. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
- Cucumber – I use English cucumbers or smaller Persian cucumbers. These varieties are crisper and have a thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled.
- Pickles – I recommend using Claussen dill pickle spears (or homemade Dill Pickles) for their fresh, bright flavor and natural color; you’ll need some of the pickles and some of the brine from the jar. Grillo’s pickle spears are excellent too, and they’ll give you a flavor that more closely matches the original pickle de gallo. I recommend staying away from the store-bought processed pickles in the jars that have that funky green color – their flavor is simply not as fresh.
- Red bell pepper – This adds a pop of color and some sweetness.
- Sweet yellow onion – Like Vidalia.
- Garlic – The vinegar in the pickle brine tames some of the raw bite, while still giving you that garlicky kick.
- Salt – I use Morton kosher salt.
How to Make Pickle de Gallo
It doesn’t get much easier than this!
- Prep & combine. Add the prepared diced and minced ingredients to a bowl, along with the salt and pickle brine, and fold to combine.
- Chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes; stir and then chill for 30 minutes more.
- Serve. After that 30 minutes, the pickle de gallo is ready for dipping, spooning over burgers and hot dogs, or using however your heart desires!
A Few Variations to Try
If you like to tinker with recipes, here are a few ideas to give you some inspiration.
- Make it spicy. Grillo’s also sells hot pickle de gallo; the heat in their version comes from jalapeño and habanero peppers, but you can dial down the heat a bit by using jalapeño only. Red pepper flakes or even a pinch of cayenne will also add heat.
- Swap more pickles in for the cucumber. I love the crisper texture that fresh cucumber adds to my version of pickle de gallo, but if you want to be truer to the original, you can leave out the cucumber and use more pickles, or all pickles, instead.
- Use red onion. For a more assertive onion flavor, swap out the sweet onion for red onion.
How to Use Pickle de Gallo
As I already mentioned, my family is firmly on #TeamPotatoChips when it comes to pickle de gallo, always opting for thick-cut kettle chips over tortilla chips. Corn tortilla chips are simply not a great match with the pickle flavor profile. Pickles and potato chips were meant to be together!
As a condiment, pickle de gallo is ideal for spooning onto burgers, hot dogs, and brats, along with anywhere else you’d use standard sliced pickles. It’s awesome with Pulled Pork sandwiches with Barbecue Sauce, Cheeseburger Sliders, and Sloppy Joes.
Mix it with mayo to make a sandwich spread. Fold it into Ham Salad. Or chop it up extra fine and stir it into homemade Tartar Sauce.
We also enjoy this recipe with grilled, roasted, fried, or blackened fish, chicken, or pork chops. Try it with my Beer Can Chicken Recipe or Easy Grilled Pork Chops.
How to Store
I especially like to store pickle de gallo in a glass canning jar, similar to how you’d buy a jar of pickles. But any airtight container will work. It’ll keep really well for 5 days or so. The flavors will further meld and develop as it sits in the fridge, and the cucumbers will soften a bit too.
📌 Note: a 1-quart jar holds a batch of this pickle salsa almost perfectly!
More Salsa Recipes
Pickle de Gallo
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely diced (¼" size) English cucumber (To prepare, cut cucumber in half length-wise, scrape out seeds, then dice, to equal 2 cups diced.)
- 2 cups finely diced (¼" size) Claussen dill pickle spears See Notes about pickles. (To prepare, cut off and discard the strip of seeds, then dice, to equal 2 cups diced.)
- 1 cup finely diced (¼" size) red bell pepper
- ½ cup finely diced (¼" size) sweet yellow onion
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup pickle brine, from Claussen dill pickle spears jar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, fold all ingredients until evenly combined.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, folding after 30 minutes. We recommend serving this as a dip, with thick-cut kettle cooked potato chips. You could also serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
- As a condiment for burgers, hot dogs, and brats.
- With grilled, roasted, fried, or blackened fish, chicken, or pork chops.
- Mix with some mayo to make a sandwich spread.
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